The present invention is directed to the field of hunting accessories. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a quick draw bow holding sling which enables the weapon to be brought to the ready position with a minimal amount of movement.
Bow hunting is becoming increasingly popular, perhaps because bow hunting is more man vs. nature, as opposed to technology vs. nature. In any event, when stalking certain particularly skittish game, bear for example, it is of critical importance that movement be minimized as any motion and/or noise will set the quarry a-running. By the same token, patience is essential for the bow hunter since s/he must await the arrival of the target. Holding a bow, compound or recurved, at the ready position for extended periods of time, is physically taxing. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a bow support which keeps the bow as near the ready position as possible to minimize the movement needed to launch the arrow at its target.
The quick draw bow holder of the present invention is versatile, being capable of attachment to the hunter's calf, thigh or waist via a belt, depending on the hunter's posture. The versatility of the present invention enables the user to readily shift position without having to remove the bow holder by simply repositioning the bow supporting cup on its support straps.
The quick draw bow holder of the present invention comprises a body portion having a generally vertically extending web portion with a first plurality of slots extending in a first direction, a second plurality of slots extending in a generally orthogonal direction, a cup extending in a generally horizontal direction for receiving one end of and supporting the bulk of the weight of a bow; first strap means oriented in a first direction and extending through at least two of the first plurality of slots; second strap means oriented in a second direction which is generally perpendicular to the first direction and extending through at least two of the second plurality of slots; whereby the first and second strap means enables the bow holder to be attached to a portion of a hunter's anatomy allowing the bow to be quickly brought to a ready position with minimal movement. The first and second strap means are preferably elastic bands which stretch, facilitating the hunter's movement between various positions and minimizing interruption of circulation.
At least some of the first and second pluralities of slots have angled extensions emanating from each end of a generally vertical slot portion, the angled extensions facilitating reorientation of the bow holder while still attached to the hunter. The body portion of the bow holder is made of a durable plastic such as a TPE blend. The body portion has inner and outer surface portions and at least a majority of the inner surface portion is coated with a fabric to reduce noise. More preferably, the inner and outer surfaces are coated with a fabric which may be a solid color or imprinted with a camouflage print.
The size of the cup can be adjusted to accommodate different sized cams on the bow ends. This can be done by moving the barbed ends between adjacent recesses in the lower end of the web or simply tightening the dimension of the cup by pulling the end(s) of the peripheral wall of the cup so that an adjacent barb engages the edges of the slot. The bottom portion of the cup has a plurality of slip-resisting apertures.
Various other features, advantages and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after a reading of the following specification.